Hear trouble before it gets bad

Wed, 2007-12-19 (All day)

The Spectroline Marksman ultrasonic diagnostic tool, from Spectronics Corp., Westbury, N.Y., converts and amplifies inaudible ultrasonic sound into audible sound. This allows service technicians to hear compressed air and vacuum leaks, electrical discharge, and similar problems so they can be repaired.

The Marksman uses a two-tiered process to ensure accurate diagnosis. First, a receiver unit uses heterodyning to convert inaudible sound into audible sound. Then, a receiver finetunes the audible sound into the natural sound emitted by the defect itself. A 10-bar LED display indicates the intensity of incoming signals.

The MDE-1000 Marksman Master Kit comes with a receiver, full-sized headphones, two probes, and an ultrasonic emitter that allows technicians to test for faulty seals, gaskets, etc. When attached to the receiver, a 12-in. hollow probe accentuates air sounds, while a solid contact probe accentuates sounds of wear or grinding inside gears. All components are packed in a cushioned storage case.